Machine for making concrete blocks.



PTENTED MAY 7, 19o?.

C. 0. BRANDELL. MACHINE FOR MAKING CONCRETE BLOCKSL APPLICATION FILED 0072.4, 1906.A

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PATENTED MAY 7, 1907. C. 0. BRANDELL. A MACHINE FOR MAKING CONCRETE BLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED OCTA, 1906.

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PATENTED MAY '7, 1907.

o. o. BRANDELL. MACHINE FOR MAKING GUNGRETE BLOCKS.

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PATENTBD MAY 7, 1907.

C. C. BNANDBL'L. MACHINE PCN MAKING CONCRETE BLOCKS.

APPLOATION FILE OCT.4, 1906.

CLAUS O. BRANDELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR MAKING CONCRETE BLOCKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7', 1907.

Application filed October 4, 1906. Serial No. 337,419.

To alb when?, it' 'may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAUS O. BRANDELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Concrete Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in a machine to be used for manufacturing blocks froml plastic or cementitious material to be employed for building or structural purposes, and it consists in certain peculiarities of the construction, novel arrangement, and operation of the various parts thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

I/Vhile the invention is more especially intended to be used for manufacturing concrete blocks having apertures or air spaces therein, yet it is applicable for use in making brick, terra-cotta blocks, and the like, of similar form, and it has for its principal object to` afl'ord a machine of the above-named character by means of which blocks of the desired formation and size may be quickly molded or formed thereby, and which machine shall be simple and inexpensive in construction, strong, durable and effective in operation.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention pertains, to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe it, referring to the accompanying drawings, in whichl Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a machine embodying my invention, showing by continuous lines the cores or plungers withdrawn from the mold-box, and illustrating them by dotted lines inserted into the moldboX. Fig. 2 isa cross-sectional view of one of the hinged doors of the mold-box. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine, showing the plungers or cores withdrawn from the moldboX, and illustrating the operating lever used for projecting and withdrawing the cores in place. Fig. 4 is a detached face view of a bracket which supports the outer ends of the cores or plungers. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the arms used for automatically closing the doors of the mold-box when the latter is being turned to its normal position. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the bed or horizontal portion of the supporting frame, showing a part of the base of the mold-box mounted thereon. Fig. 7 is a detached plan view of a clip or bar used for securing the core supporting bracket on its track or guide rods. Fig. 8 is a side view thereof. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the bed of the supporting lframe taken on line 9, 9 of Fig. 6 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 10 is a'iplan view of a bar or clip used for supporting the rails or guide rods on which the core carrying bracket travels. Fig. 11 is a side view thereof. Fig. 12 is a central vertical sectional view taken longitudinally through the supporting frame, but transversely through the mold-box, showing the bed of the supporting frame shortened for the convenience of illustration. Fig. 13 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation taken on line 13, 13 of Fig. 6 looking inthel direction indicated by the arrows, but showing the mold-box and plungers or cores in position on the supporting frame. Fig. 14 is a sectional view of a portion of the rear wall of the mold-box and a part of the bed of the supporting frame, showing the manner of connecting said parts together. Fig. 15 is a central vertical sectional view taken longitudinally through a portion of the supporting frame and transversely through the mold-box, showing the latter by continuous lines in the position it will assume when the molded block is to be remo ved therefrom, and by vertical and horizontal dotted lines in its normal position. Fig. 1 6 is a plan view of a portion of the supporting frame and the mold-box, showing the position the parts will occupy when the block is to be removed ganddFig. 17 is a fragmental perspective View of the base frame of the mold-box.

Like numerals of reference, refer to corresponding parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

The bed or horizontal portion of the supporting frame is designated by the reference numeral 20, and consists of an elongated rectangular part having a central opening 21 for the passage and operation of certain parts of the machine, and is provi ded on each of its sides at one of its ends, which I will term the forward or front end, with lateral IOO and horizontal extensions 22, which are supported by side pieces 23, each of which has a front 24 and rear leg 25, provided with feet 26 to rest on the ground or iioor. The legs 24 and 25 of each ofthe endl pieces 23 are connected together and braced by means of a bar or portion 27, which extends longitudinally with the supporting frame, and said pieces 23 are connected together transversely of the supporting frame and braced at their IIO front portions by means of a yoke or part 28,

which is secured at its upper portion by.

means of bolts 29 passing 'through the downturned portion of the front transverse part of the bed 20 of the supporting frame, the sides and ends of which bed are angular in crosssection, as shown in the drawings. rThe upper portion of each of the pieces 23 is also secured by means of bolts 30 to the downturned and longitudinally extending portions of the rextensions 22, which are also made angular in cross-section. Projecting forwardly and horizontally from each of the extensions 22 is an arm 31, each of which `is .provided on its inner surface rnear its front portion with spaced apart llugs 32 :to receive therebetween the Shanks of brackets 33, which lare used lto support .the front plate of the mold-box with the mold block :thereon when the said box is .tilted to the position shown `by continuous lines in Fig. 15, for the purpose of removing vthe block. The shanks of the brackets 33 are provided with slots 3.4 for the reception of ybolts 35, which pass through suitable openings in the front portions of the arms 31, thus adjustabl-y securing the brackets 33 in position on said arms, each of which is provided on its -upper surface at its inner end with an apertured lug 36, to which are -secured vby means of ,pivots 37 extensions or llugs 38 located on the front portion of the base .frame 39 of the mold-box, which frame is preferably made yof material angular `in cross-section, as shown, and has at the front portion of each of its vends a laterally and horizontally projecting apertured extension 40, each of which -has an -upward projection 41, the inner surface of which is inclined, as will be clearly understood by reference :to Fig. 17 of the drawings. The base frame 39 also has at the rear portion of each of its ends a laterally and horizontally extending apertured projection 42, between which -projections and kthe extensions 40 at .each lend ofthe :frame 39 is extended the `'lower portion of one ofthe doors 43 used for closing the sides of the mold-box, which lower Aportions of said doors are pivotally secured to the projections 42 and extension 40 by means of pintles passing through the yopenings therein.

As is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 17 of the drawings, the extensions 38 and beveled projections 41 on the base frame 39 of the moldbox .extend upwardly some distance above the upper surface of the rai-ls Iof said frame, and that the lower portion of the doors 43 will project downwardly between the extensions 40 and lugs 42, the side edges of said doors being recessed for this purpose and so that-the projections 41 will rest against the outer surface of the doors 43, thus restricting their outward movement. Located on the upper surface of the frame .39 and secured kthereto `by means .of a screw bolt 44, which passes through the rear portion -of the frame 39 at about its middle, is the base plate 45 of the mold-box, which has a flat upper surface, but has its edges downturned, and coincides transversely in size with the said base frame, so that its front edge will rest against the upwardly extending portions of the lugs 38 and its rear edge against the front surface of the rear plate of the mold-box, when the base frame thereof is in its normal position.

As shown in Figs. 1, 3, 6, 14 and 16 of the drawings, each of the lateral extensions 22 of the :bed 2O of the supporting frame is provided with a rearward projection 46 located at some distance from the sides of the bed 20,

-so as `to provide spaces for the reception `of the lower portionof the rear plate 4.7 of the mold-box, which is secured in an upright position by means of bolts 48, which pass through the lower part of said plate andthe rear transverse portion of the extensions 22 of the bed of the supporting frame. rear plate is provided with a number of open- :ings 49, usually two, substantially rectangular in shape, for Athe reception and operation of the core plungers. Adjustably secured to the rear surface of the plate 47 at the upper portion of each of its ends, by means of screw bolts 50 taking therein, are cam-arms .51, which extend laterally, then downwardly .and then forwardly from. the vends of the rear plate 47 and near the side doors 43 of the mold-box, which are for the purpose of engaging cams 52, one of which is diagonally located on the outer surface of each ,of the side doors 43, so that saiddoors will be vfirmly heldin their vertical or normal positions. As shown, each ofthe doors 43 is provided on its outer upper portion with a laterally projectlsaid position, with a vertical groove 56., to

receivethe ends-of the pallet 57 or front plate of the mold-box. This pallet or frontplate is provided with one or more openings 58 to register with the openings 49 in the rear vplate 47, and are -for the reception and operation of the cores or plungers.

Horizontally located -in parallelism with one another below the -bed 20 of thesupporting frame, and extending longitudinally therewith, are two guide rails or rods 59, the front ends of which are supported on `the front transverse portion ofY the `bed 20 by means of a clip or `bar 60, which has near each of its ends recesses `6l `to receive said rods or This lOO

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rails, and which is fastened to the said portion of the bed by means of bolts 62, and the rear ends of said rods are similarly connected to the rear transverse portion of the bed, as is clearly shown in Fig. 12 of the drawings. Movably mounted on the rails 59 is the core carrying bracket or carrier 63, which consists of a vertical plate 64 having at its lower portion a horizontally and forwardly extended portion 65, to which are transversely bolted at suitable distances apart a number of bars or clips 66, which are preferably made of channel iron, as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 12, and have at each of their ends recesses 67 to receive the rods or rails 59 on which the carrier or bracket 63 travels.

As shown in Fig. 4, the bracket 63 is provided with horizontal slots 68 in its lower portion to receive the sides of the bed of the supporting frame, so that the upper portion or plate 64 of the carrier 63 will extend above the bed, yet will be permitted to travel freely back and forth thereon. The plate 64 of the carrier or bracket 63 is formed with a number of slots 69, through which are passed bolts 7 0, which also pass through a downward extension 71 on the rear-end of each of the cores 72, which are of a size and shape to iit and correspond with the openings 49 and 53 in the rear and front plates, respectively, of the mold-box. These cores are preferably slightly tapered toward their front ends to permit of their easy withdrawal from the mold-box when it is filled, and are adjustably secured on the carrier or bracket 63 by means of the bolts 70, which, as before stated, pass through the slots 69 in the plate of the carrier, which plate is provided on its rear surface with a horizontal extension 73, which has an elongated opening 74 at about its middle, for the reception and operation of the operating lever 75, which is fulcrumed at its lower end to one of the supporting legs 25 and extends diagonally therefrom up through the opening 21 in the bed of the supporting frame and through the opening 74 in the extension 73 of the carrier or bracket, as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings.

While I have shown the carrier or bracket 63 provided with two cores or plunges 72, yet I do not desire to be limited to said number of cores, as I may employ one or more without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The operation of the machine is as follows When it is desired to mold a block, the side doors 43 and pallet or front plate 57 are placed in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, in which positions they will be firmly held in place by means of the arms 51, which engage the cams 52 on the side doors, and also by means of the upwardly extending parts of the lugs or extensions 38, which portions will engage the lower part of the pallet. The cores are then retracted to the position shown in said figures, when a sufficient quantity of concrete, cement, or other suitable material to give a suitable vfac-` ing or finish, is placed in the box so as to fill it up to, or a little above the lower edges of the openings 49 and 58 in the rear and front plates thereof, which said material may be tamped, after which the cores are projected by moving the lever 75 forwardly to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, when the box may be iilled with suitable material around the cores and tamped, the cores 72 may be withdrawn by turning the lever 75 to the position shown by continuous lines in Fig. 1 of Vthe drawings. To remove the block, the mold-box is turned from the position shown by the vertical and horizontal dotted lines in Fig. 15 to that shown by continuous lines in said figure, when the pallet or front plate 57 will rest on the upper edges of the brackets 33, which are adjustable, as before stated. When the mold-box is in the position shown by continuous lines in Fig. 15, it is apparent that the side doors 43 may be turned outwardly to about the position, shown in Fig. 16. To again prepare the mold-box for the reception of the material to make another block, the base frame 39, bottom 45, and side doors 43 are turned back so as to assume the positions shown by vertical and horizontal dotted lines in Fig. 15, in

which operation the cam-arms 51 will strike against the cams 52, and thus hold the doors 43 against outward lateral movement, and it will be understood that the chamfers 55 will engage the ends of the rear plate 47 of the box. When the parts are thus located, the pallet 57 on which the molded block rests may be removed and deposited at a suitable point, when another pallet or front plate 57 may be inserted into the grooves 56 of the doors until it rests on the bottom 45, when the filling of the box may be proceeded with and the above-named operation repeated. To prevent the mold-box from falling too far so as to injure parts of the machine after the molded block and pallet 57 have been removed from the brackets 33, the lower portions of the lugs or extensions, which are slightly curved as shown in Figs. 12, 15 and 17, will strike against the front transverse portion of the bed of lthe supporting frame, thus causing the parts of the box to assume the positions shown by inclined dotted lines in Fig. 15, and thereby preventing any further downward movement. When the box is turned to the last named position, after the molded block and pallet have been removed, it is apparent that by unscrewing the bolt 44, the base-plate 45 may be removed from the base-frame 39, and another one substituted therefor, or the box may be readily cleaned of any material that may adhere thereto. By providing the base-frame 39 with the inclined or beveled projections 41 at its ends, and by employing the cams 52, the lower ends IOT) IIO

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A of returning the base-frame to its initial position, and will thus automatically cause the doors to assume their normal positions and be securely held in place.

It will be obvious from the above description that the apparatus is susceptible of considerable modification without material departure from the principles and spirit of the invention, and for this reason I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the precise form and arrangement of the several parts herein set forth in carrying out my invention in practice.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is-

1. In a machine for making concrete supporting-frame, of a detachable mold-box mounted thereon and a part of the same pivotally connected thereto at its front portion, said box consisting of a 'fixed and upright apertured rear plate, a removable pallet, a base-frame provided with a bottom for said box, and a door hinged near one of its edges to each end of the base-frame, and means on the said frame to hold the doors in angular relation thereto in the operation of removing the block.

2. In a machine for making concrete blocks and the like, the combinationA with a supporting-frame, of a detachable mold-box mounted thereon and a part of the same pivotally connected thereto at its front portion, said box consisting of a fixed and upright apertured rear plate, a removable pallet, a base-frame provided with a bottom for said box, and a door hinged near one of its edges to each end of the base-frame, means on the said frame to hold the doors in angular relation thereto in the operationof removing the block, a core movable horizontally on the frame and adapted to fit in the aperture of said rear plate, and means to move the core back and forth, i

3. In a machine for making concrete blocks and the like, the combination with a supporting-frame, of a detachable mold-box mounted thereon and consisting of an upright iixed rear plate having an opening therein for a core, a base-frame provided with a bottom for the box and pivotally connected at its front portion to the supporting-frame, a door pivotally connected near one of its edges to each end of said base-frame, and a pallet removably located between said doors at their front portions, a projection at each end of the base-frame tov restrict the movement of said doors, a core movable horizontally on the frame and adapted to fit in the opening of the rear plate, means to move the core back and forth, and brackets on the frame in front of the mold-box to support it base-frame is returned to its initial position.

5. In a machine for making concrete blocks and the like, the combination with a supporting-frame, of a detachable mold-box mounted thereon and a part of the same pivotally connected thereto at its front portion, said box consisting of a fixed and upright apertured rear plate, a removable pallet or front plate, a base-frame provided with a bottom 'for said box, and a door hinged near one of its edges to each end of the baseframe, a cam-arm located on each end of the rear plate, a cam-block located on the outer surface of each of said doors to co-act with the said cam-arms so as to automatically close the doors when the base-frame is returned to its initial position.

6. In a machine for making concrete blocks and the like, the combination with a supporting-frame, of a detachable mold-box mounted thereon and a part ofthe same pivotally connected thereto at its front portion, said box consisting of a fixed and upright apertured rear plate, a removable pallet or front plate, a base-frame` provided with a bottom for said box, and a door hinged near one of its edges to each end of the base-frame, a cam-arm located on each end of the rear plate, a cam-block located on the outer surface of each of said doors to co-act with the said cam-arms so as to automatically close the doors when the base-frame is returned to its initial position, a carrier or bracket movable horizontally on the supporting-framev and having a transversely elongated opening in its rear portion, a core mounted on said carrier and adapted to fit in the aperture of said rear plate, and a lever fulcrumed on the supporting -frame and extended through the transverse opening in the carrier for the core.

7. In a machine for making concrete blocks and the like, the combination with a supporting frame, of a detachable mold-box mounted thereon and consisting of an upright fixed rear plate having an opening therein for a core, forwardly extending cam arms secured on said plate at each of its ends, a base-frame provided with a bottom for the box and pivotally connectedA at` its front portion to the supporting frame, a door pivot- IOO ally connected near one of its edges to each end of said base-frame, a earn-block located on the outer surface of each of said doors to engage tlle'oam-arms on the said rear plate, and a pallet or front plate removably located between said doors at their front portions, a carrier movable horizontally on the supporting frame, a core lmounted on said carrier and adapted to fit in said opening of the rear plate, a lever fulorumed to the sup- Io porting frame and in engagement with the carrier, and means on the front portion of the supporting frame to support the moldbox in its tilted position.

CLAUS O. BRANDELL. Vitnesses:

Cime. C. TILLMAN, M. A. NYMAN. 

